1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to workpiece holding systems, and in particular, to systems cooperating with workbenches.
2. Description of Related Art
Workpieces are often held in a fixed position on a platform or workbench when being machined or milled. A workpiece may be held in a machinist's vise between two heavy steel jaws that can be brought together by a manually operable screw.
Woodworking vises may have a wooden block that is mounted on rails on the front or the end of a workbench. A hand operated screw can bring the block inward to clamp a workpiece to an edge of the workbench. In some cases the vise will have in addition a stationary block so that the moveable block can be driven toward the stationary block on the edge of a workbench.
Often a workpiece is larger than the maximum opening of a vise on a workbench. In that case the workbench can have a series of holes for holding one or more dogs, typically pegs that face the vise.
If the vise has a moveable jaw that rises above the topside of the workbench, this jaw can push a workpiece against the dog or dogs. In some cases the top of the moveable jaw is coplanar with the topside of the workbench in which case one or more dog-like fixtures can be attached to the top the moveable jaw. Accordingly, a workpiece can be clamped between these fixtures and dogs on the workbench by moving the moveable jaw inward toward the dogs on the workbench.
The bench dogs can be placed in only the limited number of holes formed in the workbench. In some cases the dog's position is inconvenient and the workpiece may be too long or short relative to the dog. In still other cases the edge of the workpiece facing the dogs may be irregular but the dogs would be unable to provide the finely adjusted backstop needed to firmly and securely engage the irregular workpiece. While shims or spacers can be used to accommodate the irregularities, these require careful machining and will lengthen the time needed to perform the simple task of clamping.
See also U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0069980 and the following U.S. Patents: D367,438; D374,609; 226,453; U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,033,039; 2,205,550; 2,354,810; 2,407,879; 2,668,304; 2,809,067; 3,176,979; 3,222,744; 3,386,763; 3,634,178; 3,813,094; 3,849,839; 3,964,364; 4,003,549; 4,009,786 4,007,516; 4,165,811; 4,308,646; 4,338,836; 4,498,827; 4,505,468; 4,518,277; 4,526,363; 4,605,216; 4,641,826; 4,645,193; 4,705,442; 4,761,027; 5,007,616; 5,496,021; 5,624,110; 5,624,167; 5,728,116; 6,296,656; 6,468,309; 6,494,657; 6,520,464; 4,474,489; 4,532,622; 4,711,596; 5,133,617; 5,651,570; 5,873,379; 5,899,621; 6,123,035; 6,336,766; 6,616,369; 6,726,421; 6,726,422; and 7,100,854.